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Monday, May 26, 2014

teenage patchwork

hexagon-patchwork

I made this patchwork when I was a teenager, during the summer school holidays.  All of the fabrics were from the scrap pile – yellows and browns were prominent in my wardrobe then – funny remembering the different items these fabrics were used for.  I never backed it so you can still see my construction when you turn it over

patchwork-back

each piece of fabric was folded over a piece of card and then tacked to shape and then I hand sewed the pieces together – lots of small over stitch while sitting in the garden enjoying the sun.

During the sorting of stuff Mum found a patchwork piece I made for my sister’s doll bed – I think at about the same time

paper-pieced-patchwork

again all the fabric is from the scrap pile.  One piece has rotted away (or eater my moths or mice – that one piece must have tasted particularly good).

16 comments:

Sian said...

Oh, thanks for letting us this. I love how the fabrics do conjure up the colours and fashions of a particular time, and I'm thinking - that's the look we're seeing a lot of again now. Throw it over your sofa!

Karen said...

I love the bright colors of the doll quilt. How odd (and sad) that the moths liked only one piece of it!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

What great pieces - I love those first attempts. The problem with the one fabric is the dyes used back then - they contained heavy metals and that would eat away the fabrics, when old quilts have small sections like that it is because the dyes have rotten the fabric. They aren't allowed to use dyes like that anymore.

Maria Ontiveros said...

What a treasure.
Rinda

alexa said...

They have survived really well, despite the years - and I was interested in Joann's information. I cannot imagine how many hours your hexagons must have taken with those minute and delicate stitches. Are they going to stay on display?

Miriam said...

How wonderful to see these Helena, I love all those yellows and browns and the blue for the dolls cot is so bright still. Thanks so much for showing them.

Miriam said...

How wonderful to see these Helena, I love all those yellows and browns and the blue for the dolls cot is so bright still. Thanks so much for showing them.

Miriam said...

How wonderful to see these Helena, I love all those yellows and browns and the blue for the dolls cot is so bright still. Thanks so much for showing them.

Miriam said...

How wonderful to see these Helena, I love all those yellows and browns and the blue for the dolls cot is so bright still. Thanks so much for showing them.

Miriam said...

How wonderful to see these Helena, I love all those yellows and browns and the blue for the dolls cot is so bright still. Thanks so much for showing them.

Miriam said...

How wonderful to see these Helena, I love all those yellows and browns and the blue for the dolls cot is so bright still. Thanks so much for showing them.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

These are fantastic, Helena! I love seeing the quilts that you made as a youngster. Funny how just that one piece of fabric was nibbled away.

Prairie Jill said...

How wonderful! I admire your patience for handstitching all those hexagons, but it was worth it to make such a beautiful piece.

Sandie said...

How lovely to find these Helena and to recall all the memories. I wonder why that one patch was so desirable?!

Missus Wookie said...

Oh these are pretty and bring back memories. I enjoyed American patchwork so when I arrived in the UK I was told by my Gran she'd teach me English patchwork... I finished the log cabin piece but never the paper piecing hexagon.

Anonymous said...

I love how not finishing the back lets us see the construction of it.